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The Meat Business By Gregory Bloom
Gregory Bloom shares over 26 years of industry experience working in six USDA inspected meat plants - buying and selling meat, working with chefs and restaurants and teaching COP classes. He is the CEO and owner of U.S. Protein.

Meats deserve more national days of special recognition

(The views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly those of the author.)

Back in the day, certain days were marked as special days. We celebrated Independence Day, New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, and of course Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

But today it seems like every day is claimed by somebody as some sort of special interest day. In fact, there’s now an overwhelming list of 1,200+ "national days" throughout the year, mostly made up of days that people have never heard of and could hardly keep track of. I seriously doubt you’re celebrating Wiggle Your Toes Day, Festival of Popular Delusions Day, Lumpy Rug Day, Rubber Eraser Day, Do a Grouch a Favor Day, or Upsy Daisy Day. Most of these silly "days" should all be celebrated together on November 20th — National Absurdity Day!

Yet, in the interest of our own interests, we should obviously promote the awareness of celebrating some of the more important new "days," especially in July. In July, we recognize Culinary Arts, National Grilling Month, National Hot Dog Month and, for some good cross-merchandizing opportunities for meats, National Horseradish and National Picnic month. I think we might as well just apply for July to become "National Meat Appreciation Month!"

For other meat designations, we already have Hot Dog Day, BBQ Spareribs Day, Fried Chicken Day, Beef Jerky Day, Chilidog Day, Chicken Wing Day, Filet Mignon Day, Cheeseburger Day, Bologna Day, Milk Day, Curried Chicken Day, Peking Duck Day, Cheese Lover’s Day and Meatballs Day. Let’s keep the list growing!

The junk food and sugar industries have been far more active than we have in declaring national days for merchandising, gaining free PR and media opportunities. Some of their registrations are: whipped cream, shortbread, English toffee, bittersweet chocolate, Fig Newton, strawberry ice cream, butter crunch, peanut brittle, blueberry pancake, bubble gum, cherry pie, Peppermint Pattie, just to name a few. All of which leads up to the unhealthy climax of February 9th, which is National Toothache Day!

So, have you ever wondered how a day or month gets its own official "national" designation? It’s surprisingly simple: Just go to https://nationaldaycalendar.com/ and apply for registration of a day, week or month. Groups, companies and non-profits can ask for consideration of a national day, month or week for their special interest.

I think we in the meat industry should put our collective heads together and strategically ask for specific days that line up well with existing recognized national days. For example, on Respect for Parents Day (August 1st), we should have “Treat your parents to a steak dinner day.” Maybe next July 4th will become known as “United Steaks of America Day.” Or on next July 5th, which is National Hawaii Day, I can’t imagine a better day to also be called “National Ribeye Steak Day,” since Hawaiians love the ribeye steak like no other state in the union.

Other possibilities for promoting meats on national days might be; bacon cheeseburger, creative uses for grinds, thin sliced meats, smoked pork loin, teach your neighbor how to BBQ a brisket and many other "days." How about something more comical like, "Keep calm and eat bacon day?" Or, "'How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat' day?" Or, "Becoming a vegetarian is a big missed steak day?"

What ideas and suggestions do you have for national designations for meat days?

7/5/2018

 
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